Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Leaders discuss impending global water crisis at WEF
Published in Daily News Egypt on 19 - 05 - 2008

Triggered by the rise in commodity prices, water scarcity and the high demand for food security, experts expressed the necessity for a series of policy reforms and investment flows to improve the efficiency of water management and food production in the Middle East.
Prince Turki Bin Talal Al Saud, chairman of the board of trustees of the Saudi Arabian Mentor Arabia Foundation, expressed the urgency to address the pressing issues of water supply, global warming and pollution, which will eventually lead to a global water crisis.
Only through a strict political stance that calls for the efficient allocation of water resources and the collaboration between nations will this eventual water crisis be averted, Prince Turki said Monday during a session entitled "Scenarios Series: How much water do you eat? at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East.
"The world will face a big challenge, Mahmoud Abu Zeid, Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation said. By the year 2025, food demand will increase by 70-90 percent and the amount of water consumption will double due to the expected population increase.
"We are not using water efficiently, we have to improve water use and productivity [to face this crisis], Abu Zeid said. He called on all groups of society to work together, as well as the involvement of all stakeholders and the private sector through public-private partnerships (PPPs) to make better use of water.
Investment Minister Mahmoud Mohieldin backed his colleague's concerns, saying "we are facing a full-blown crisis and we have to have a better understanding of it.
Mohieldin believes that the solution is to identify financial investments that are willing to finance crops and agriculture.
Since agriculture uses up to 80 percent of water, people must know the value of water through vigorous awareness campaigns.
When this notion is instigated in farmers, "agriculture will be shifted to an economic aspect rather than a social one, said Raed Abu Al Saud, Jordan's minister of water and irrigation.
Saudi Arabia boasts that it has passed several agricultural reforms to tackle their water shortage problem. "We target to increase crops per less drops, through green houses and drip irrigation, said Saudi Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Fahd Bin Abdulrahman Bin Sulaiman Balghunaim.
"The increase in food prices is a blessing in disguise as it shifts attention to the importance of agriculture, Balghunaim said. Therefore, nations should support UN organizations to reach farmers around the world to increase productivity using minimal water supplies.
While Egypt's water crisis may be delayed because of its access to the Nile River, Jordan's present situation is "not promising, Al Saud said. He expects that soon water will become a political issue, especially for countries sharing the same water sources.
"This is not a simple issue, it is a complex emergency, said Neville Isdell, chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company.
He also agreed said that the private sector should realize its responsibility and adopt a framework for preserving water. Coca-Cola has vowed to reduce water consumption, return all useable water to nature and reduce the levels of pollution in their operations, he added.
Mohieldin assured that Egypt has already established several PPPs, as well as revived agri-finance with local banks in the agriculture and water management domains. However, he warned that all reforms and regional efforts will not yield results if "we keep applying the policies we have today, he said.
The establishment of a water pricing system is necessary to ensure that people understand the importance of water. "[We need to] stop bad subsidies to enable us to do our job properly, Mohieldin said.


Clic here to read the story from its source.